Pages

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Judging Others

The
way you judge others is the way God is going to judge you.

I
am 29 years old and I am sitting here thinking about people judging
others. You sometimes associate judging
and gossiping with 16 year old girls but this is something we don’t ever grow
out of. God has blessed me with a life
and with a testimony that shows strength.
My husband is afraid my testimony may bring out judgment to myself and
family. This is very fair for him to fear
and this is my husband’s way of protecting me and shielding me from those who
could possibly hurt me. But I tell him “Of
course I will be judge. I may be looked badly
at and some will probably look at me with pity.
That is ok. I understand that is
what is going to happen. I also know that God is the only one that I should
fear judgment of. God has brought me
through amazing trials and he lifted me out of one big whole I dug myself. My
testimony is to bring GLORY to Him. So
yes, I will be judged and yes it may sting but my story is my past and it makes
me the strong, Christ-Like Woman I am today! “

So of course…I had to dig in about judging
others. Buckle up here we go!!

Matthew 7:1-5

“Do
not judge, or you too will be judged.For in the same way you judge
others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured
to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and
pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to
your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there
is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out
of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your
brother’s eye.”

Reference:
Matthew 7:15-23; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

What does the bible say about this?

1.It is
unchristian

a.James
4:11-12

i.Talks
about judging your “brothers and sisters”

ii.We are
a family in Christ- Ephesians 4:4-5

iii.Do not
tear down your family

iv.God is
the one who made the law and He is the Judge

v.When
we speak badly of other Christians we are doing the job of the devil.

2.It is unloving

a.Matthew 22:37-39

i.This
is a commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.

ii.You
judge others and speak evil you are
breaking God’s law

3.It is
unjustified

a.James
4:12

i.God is
the Judge and we are NOT!

b.Lawgiver
is in Gods job description not ours!

c.One
mistake should not mark us

i.Foolish
mistakes happen

ii.We
have all fallen or have been tripped up

iii.Do not
brand others for their choices

iv.Look
at the real character of a person

4.You
may have your “Christian” mask on but God knows

a.1 Sam
16:7b

i.Man
looks at outward appearance

ii.God
looks at the heart

b.Mark
23:27-28

i.Hypocrites

ii.Outside
you look beautiful

iii.Full
of dead bones and everything unclean

So
we should stop…How?

1.God
will judge us the same as we judge others

a.We are
setting the standers for our judgment

b.Matthew
7:1-2

i.This
great for us!

ii.Break
this habit of tearing down people

2.You
are accountable to God

a.Romans
14:12-13

i.You
are not accountable to those around you but you are with God!

ii.That
means your friends and family will be held accountable to God

b.Matthew
12:36-37

i.How
will we be judged?

ii.Do we
gossip or spread rumors?

iii.He
will judge us with justice!

3.God is
Merciful

a.James
2:13

i.He is
merciful

ii.He
forgives when we should be fated

b.We
receive Mercy and Love from God

i.How do
we distribute mercy and love?

4.Love
one anther

a.John
13:34-35

b.1
Peter 4:8

5.Live
in harmony with other

a.1
Peter 3:8-9

b.Romans
12:16

6.Do not
slander one another

a.James
4:11a

7.Be
humble

a.1
Peter 5:5b

8.Bear
with one another

a.Col
3:13

b.Eph
4:2

9.Honor
one another

a.Romans
12:10

10.Serve one another

a.Galatians
5:13

11.Accept one another

a.Romans
12:10

12.Encourage one another

a.Hebrews
10:25a

b.1
Thes. 4:11

13.Look at yourself

a.Your
personal expectations need to be aligned with Gods!

14.Do not be envious

The next time you are
walking down the school hallway, the hallway at church, you are at a park,
sitting somewhere eating or even at the grocery store remember to not judge
those around you. Show love because we
don’t know what is happening in their heart!